


Origami

by key_baes



Series: Leaku mini stories. [3]
Category: Kingdom Hearts
Genre: Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-12
Updated: 2017-06-12
Packaged: 2018-11-13 04:58:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 842
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11177535
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/key_baes/pseuds/key_baes
Summary: A small origami crane made out of a receipt brings a little brightness to Lea's tedious day-to-day job as a barista.





	Origami

IT started with an origami crane. 

It was flimsy and delicate, the wings of the bird patterned with the receipt’s printed details, wet with residue coffee splatter. Lea stared at it for a moment, surprised to find something so pretty during cleanup, sitting alone beside an emptied mug. 

He carefully placed it in his apron pocket for safe keeping and continued with his work. It wasn’t all that strange, he supposed, but something about the tiny bird cheered him up as he went about his 8 hour shift. 

After getting permission, he glued tacked it above the register - for good luck.

The next weekend, there was another. 

Like before, he found it after the lunch rush, this time a rabbit sat waiting on a napkin. It was smaller than the crane, maybe taking more folds, and Lea tried to remember who had sat there. His memory failed him though, being the barista kept him stuck behind the machine until things died down. He did, however, remember orders. 

Delicately, he studied the cut off writing on the receipt-rabbits ears, trying to make out the quoted item. It was too smudged, though, and Lea didn’t dare take apart the tiny animal just to satisfy his own curiosity. 

Like it’s crane brother, it sat above the register.  

He’d never been interested in origami, or to his memory had never even tried it. But the tiny animals from the cafe gave him a reason to. Several patterned square papers later, and Lea had barely managed a crane - apparently the most simple folds. He stared at his attempts, suddenly amazed by the skill of the anonymous artistic customer. 

“Harder than it looks,” he muttered to himself, playing with his finished bird.  

The next weekend, he was on the register. 

It wasn’t unusual, but Lea had reason to be alert. He wanted to find his origami artist. He wasn’t even sure what he would say, perhaps point out their paper art was now proudly on display. Offer them a longer reciept to work with. He didn’t know, he just wanted to meet them - a curiosity in his otherwise stressful and boring job. 

As the lunch rush started, he found himself chatting with each customer as usual, if time allowed. Grinning at short jokes and asking about days. Everyone seemed to be in couples or groups, though, and Lea had guessed the person he was looking for drank alone. 

As if the universe sensed his disappointment, the door to the cafe opened - and he knew. The young man wore his hair in a high ponytail, a laptop under his arm and a backpack slung over one shoulder. His glasses were falling down his nose, making Lea wonder if he really needed them to see, his teal eyes raking the seats. Lea smiled to himself as he saw him gaze at his usual spot, the secluded seat  near the back of the cafe. 

Lea hadn’t expected it to be a cute, mysterious guy, but he wasn’t going to complain. His grin widened as he approached the counter.

“Hey,” the paper artist spoke, his eyes meeting Lea’s.

“How can I help you?” Lea asked, smiling.

“I’ll get a large Latte, and a cookie on the side. I’ll pay with card, and get the receipt.”  

“Sure,” Lea said, eyes lighting up as the evidence to his theory mounted, “..name for the order?” He smiled. They didn’t usually ask for names, but Lea was curious. 

“Oh? Uh, Riku.” 

_ Riku  _

A smile. “No problem, Riku.” He tallied up the order, and ran the card as he watched Riku study the food on display. Deliberately, he held the card reader in front of the cash register. “Just pin and enter.” 

Riku glanced back, entering his pin, and Lea watched as his eyes caught on the tiny paper receipt animals. He kept staring.

“Cute, huh? One of our customers makes them, I like putting them up here.” Lea grinned. Riku’s gaze turned to him, his cheeks seemed pinker. 

“You do?” Asked Riku, and Lea found it was his turn to blush. 

“I - Yea. I like them. I think their really nice. I actually tried learning how to make some recently but, well… I’m not very good.” He laughed a little, avoiding Riku’s eye. “Anyway, here’s your receipt.”  

“Thanks,” Riku paused, looking at Lea a moment longer, “Do you have a favorite animal?” 

“I-” Lea chuckled a little, surprised, “I like cats.” 

“I’ll see what I can do.” Riku was suddenly smiling, and sent Lea a coy look as he took his receipt and made his way to his table. . 

He wished he could watch Riku work, but had his own tasks. Waiting tables and cleaning the dishes in the back, his heart fell a little when he realised Riku was already gone, a small receipt-cat sitting by his empty mug. 

Lea smiled as he picked it up, turning it over in his hands, it’s body lined with the receipt print and - a hand written number. Lea stared, grinning a little. 

He’d probably take this one home. 


End file.
